Key seating machines



Oct. 27, 1959 Filed Oct. 17, 1956 J- W. RANOUS KEY SEATING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR. JACK W. RANOUS gmwdf ATTORNEYS Oct. 27, 1959 J. w. RANOUS KEY SEATING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 17, 1956 s U mm E A R m. W m JP AJW J A B mm 9 4 2 4 4 my a a G w & 4 as b ae n H d C r M. a 6/.M%M56%%% I T a u. a %w.,, QYAAAI, I 4 m a w m l I X r I 2 I L/ ME I. l I r /A/ I 0 2 IA. V 2

ATTORNEYS Oct. 27, 1959 J. w. RANOUS 2,909,967

KEY SEATING MACHINES Filed Oct. l7, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. JACK W. RANQUS BY FIG. 5 Z/MW M ATTORNEYS Unite States Patent KEY SEATING MACHINES Jack W. Ranous, Saginaw, Mich., assignor to and Merrill, Saginaw, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application October 17, 1956, Serial No. 616,561

6 Claims. (Cl. 90-43) straight, true keyways on the order of fifteen inches and p more in length may be cut with a high degree of accuracy.

A further object of the invention is to design a key seating machine which is capable of operating at speeds on the order of twenty-five percent faster than any key seating machine which has ever previously been designed.

Another object of the invention is to design a key seating machine in which the speed of the stroke of the cutter may be varied during the cut at any position of the tool.

A still further object of the invention is to design a key seating machine of the character described which is of simple and durable construction and can be economically manufactured and sold.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in H .the accompanying drawing, and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that equivalent changes may be made in the various elements which comprise the invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the key seating machine with portions of the casing being broken away to expose to View various of the cutter actuating elements.

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevational view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, the diagrammatic lines indicating a work piece such as a pulley having a hub in which it is desired to cut a keyway.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating elements for automatically controlling the advance of the cutter tool.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary, top plan view illustrating the manually controlled mechanism which can be employed to adjust the cutter bar during the cut if desired.

Figure 5 is a schematic view illustrating a hydraulic circuit which can be employed of the machine.

, Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary, side elevational view illustrating the manner in which the tool bar holder to control the operation I trunnions are carried by the crosshead.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary, sectional, side elevational view illustrating the manner in which the plate which guides the tool bar holder while it pivots is secured to the holder.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational is interengaged with the teeth 36a.

view showing the pawl which cooperates with a pinion to prevent return of the tool advancing mechanism during the return stroke of the crosshead.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention a letter B generally indicates the base of the novel key seating machine which will now be described in detail. Mounted on the base B is a housing 10 (Fig. 1) which is provided for various of the hydraulic components, and a motor 11 is supported on the housing 10 and drives a standard constant delivery vane type hydraulic pump 12 through its armature shaft 13 which is coupled to the pump shaft 14 as at 15.

The pump 12 is connected to drive a double acting,

hydraulic cylinder 16 which is housed in a vertically extending frame or casing 17 and can be bolted to the rear wall 17a thereof as at 16a. A vertically reciprocable tool actuating crosshead 18 is secured to the heavy duty piston rod 19 in cylinder 16 by a'nut 2i) and has recesses formed in the side walls thereof into which ways 21 project, the ways 21'being afiixed on the side walls of casing or housing 17 to form guides in the usual manner.

. Thetop surface 17b of housing 17 is recessed as at 22 to receive a work supporting table or key seating hub 23 and an upwardly extending guide post or channel 24 is clamped to the table 23 by suitable means such as set screws 25 asshown. The work piece W which is illustratedin diagrammatic lines in Figure 2 is slipped over the post 24 and is supported on the table 23. Releasable clamping means (not shown) are provided to anchor the work piece in position so that it will not shift radially or axially during the cutting operation.

A tool bar holder 26 is supported for pivotal movement in a vertical plane by trunnions 2.7 which are received in vertically slotted openings 27a provided in portions 18a of the crosshead 18 (see Fig. 6). The holder 26 clamps the lower end of tool bar 28 which extends upwardly in channel 24, along with a feed bar 29 as shown, and has a cutter tool T mounted thereon. The boxlike holder 26 includes side walls 26a, a front wall 26b, and a rear wall 260 which is toothed as at 30 to receive the cooperatively toothed lower end of tool bar 28. It will be observed that the upper edges of side walls 26a have a radius 26d taken about the axis of the trunnions 27 and that a guide plate 31 has an extending guide 31a shaped to the same radius. The plate 31 is secured to the side walls 26a of holder 26 by screws 31b, however, the holder can pivot relative to guide 31a about the trunnions 27 because screws 31b extend through elongated slots 31c (see Fig. 7). The upper edges of side walls 26a accordingly guide on extension 31a when the tool holder pivots to feed the tool T outwardly as will later be explained. Plate 31 is secured to crosshead 18 by screws 32 which extend through vertically slotted openings 32a so that plate 31 and holder 26 which it connects to the crosshead 18 can have a limited vertical movement relative to the crosshead 18. The purpose of this relative movement will be later explained.

A set screw 33 threaded into the front wall of tool holder 26 clamps against a plate 33a which holds tool bar 28 rigidly in position so that it cannot slip in holder 26. The guide extension 31a has an-opening 34 which not only admits tool bar 28 but also passes feed bar 29. The latter bar is received in a holder 35 which has front wall 35a formed with an extension 35b in which is a clamp screw 350. The clamp screw 35c bears against a tubular rectangular member 36 which has teeth 36a formed on the rear wall thereof as shown. The lower end of feed bar 29 is similarly toothed or notched and The member 36 clamps the bar 29 against a plate 37 supported in the holder 35 against the rear wall 38 thereof. Holder 35 is movable relative to crosshead 18 and has ways formed emtie'side'wsn's' thereof which are received in guides 39 on the crosshead 18 (Fig. 2). The feed bar holder 35 is connected to the crosshead 18 for movement in the cutting stroke by a screw 40 which is threaded through a threaded opening 41 in the top and bottom sections 35d and 35e of the holder. Feed bar 29 passes through the opening in the top section 35d, of course. The feed bar holder 35 is'actually a nut restrained from rotation by its ways which is moved axially downwardly on its actuating screw 40 an additional increment with each stroke of the cross head.

Since the upper end of bar 29 is formed with the usual wedge 29a, which in'the instant invention is in contact with the inclined upper face of tool bar 28 only at point a, the tool bar 28 is pivoted about trunnions 27 a little bit more each time bar 29 is moved an increment downwardly and cutter T is fed an'additional increment radially into the work piece W. The wedge bar contacts the tool bar only at point or edgefa so that the tool bar 28 can spring back about this edge as a fulcrum if unduly heavy cutting strains are encountered. The tool bar 28 is forced against the feed wedge bar at edge far with a certain predetermined tension by a guide roller 43 which is mounted on a chip feed spout 44. The latter spout has a rearwardly extending bracket 43a thereon rigidly carrying a shaft 45 on which the roller 43 is rotatably secured.

Depending from the top surface -17b of housing 17 is a bracket 46 having a threaded opening through which screw 47 is threaded. Chip spout 44 is mounted in ways or guides so as to slide forwardly or rearwardly relative to housing 17 and has a slide bearing 48 fixed therein'in which the non-threaded rear end of screw 47 is slidably received. A spring 49 mounted on screw 47 between bearing 48 and a shoulder 47a on the screw exerts a pressure against bearing 43 urging the chip spout rearwardly and roller 43 against feed bar 28 with a predetermined tension at all times.

As previously observed, tool feed bar 29 is moved incrementally relative to tool bar 28 by actuating screw which is revolved through a' predetermined arc with each stroke of the crosshead 18. Fixed'on shaft'40 against axial and rotary movement relative thereto is a pinion 50 which is in mesh with a pinion 51 on a vertically fixed'but rotatable splined shaft 52 which is journaled in bearing bracket 53. The pinion 5 1 issplined to shaft 52 so that it must rotate with it but is free to move axially on shaft 52. Block 54 which extends from cro'sshead'l S supports gear 50 but has an opening 55 freely passing shaft 52. The crosshead bracket27a at the right in Fig. 1 also has an opening freely passing shaft 52.

At its upper end shaft 52 has a bevel gear 56 fixed in position thereon in any suitable manner which is in mesh with a bevel gear 57 on a horizontal shaft 58 'which is also journaled in the bearing bracket 53. The outer end of shaft 58' which is reduced in diameter at a point intermediate its ends as shown at 58a (Fig. 4) extends through a reduced opening in an angular bracket 59 which accordingly permits it to rotate but restrains the shaft from axial movement, As shown in Figure 4 the shaft 58 can be manually actuated with handle 60 according to a scale 61 on bracket 59ar'1d indicator 62 is conveniently provided. A "stop '63ca'n be anchored in position on red 6 3 awith 'setscrew 63b to block the path of indicator 62 and step further rotation of shaft 58. The automatic operation of shaft 58 can be stopped injthis manner tocut' a k'eyway of a particular depth.

' Shaft 58' is revolved automatically at the beginning of each cutting stroke to feed tool bar 29 through a pinion 64, thereon which is in mesh with another pinion 65 carr ied,oria stub shaft 6 5 a wl1ich is supported by bracket 53.. Crosshead18 carries a rack 66 on support lugs 67 (Figs; 1an d 3) whieh meshes with a pinion 68 on shaft 69. The latter shaft is jouraled in a bracket 70 which is carried by the frame 17 and a conventional friction clutch 71 is provided on the end of shaft 69. The clutch 71 has a pair of friction faces or disks 71a and 71b on opposite sides of a crank arm 72 and will normally transmit translate rotation of shaft 69 to crank 72 because of the pressure of spring 73. However, when crank 72 is prevented from rotating in a manner which will later become apparent the clutch simply slips in the usual manner.

Crank arm 72 has a connecting rod 74 pivotally connecting it with a crank arm75 fixed on pinion shaft 65a (see Fig. 3). Only a predetermined amount of rotation can be transmitted by crank arm 75 which has a stop 75:: thereon engaging a stop key 77 supported on the front wall of bracket 53 after crank 75 has been moved clockwisely on the down stroke of the crosshead 18. A pawl 76 pivoted on crank 75 cooperates with a gear 65 (which functions as a pawl wheel) to permit rotation in a clockwise direction but prevent rotation of shaft 65a in a counterclockwise direction. Thus, shaft 65a is rotated only during the initial portion of the upstroke of crosshead and not at any other time. The return of crank arm '75 is controlled by screw 79 on stop 77 which correctly positions it for the next advance. The degree of the advance of the tool feed bar 29 can, of course, be

varied by adjusting screw 79 which is threaded into stop In operation the crosshead 18 is initially in raised position to commence the cut as in Figs. 1 and 2. The

shaft 58 can be adjusted through handle 60 to position cutter tool T so that it will be in a position in which it is'short by one increment of advance the desired depth .of cut which is to be taken on the initial downstroke :18 to force piston 16 downwardly, tool bar 28 is pulled downwardly with it. The fact that the crosshead is fed downwardly by hydraulic fluid lends additional flexibility and resiliency to the system and the tool will not snap oif if cutting strains should become undue once the work is engaged. During the cutting (down) stroke the tool is maintained in position by the tool feed bar 29 (which is backed by the post 24) through engagement of the wedge portion 29a of the bar at point a. During the initial portion of the downstroke, rack 66 revolves pinion 68 counterclockwisely and this movement is transmitted through clutch 71 to crank arm 72 which is accordingly moved counterclockwisely. Crank arm 75 which is not fixed to shaft 65a is moved clockwisely until stop finger 75a engages stop 77. During movement of crank arm 75 pawl 76 which is maintained by spring 76a has integral tooth 76b engaged between the teeth of gear 65 and the rotation of shaft 65a is transmitted to shaft 58 and thence to splined shaft 52 and pinion 51. Once bar 28 is accordingly returned upwardly pawl 76b slips freely over the teeth of gear 65 so that shaft 65a is prevented from rotating counterclockwisely. Rack 66 will be actuating pinion 68 in a clockwise direction and crank armJS is immediately returned to initial position against stop screw' 79. Thence since crank arm 75 is prevented from further travel clutch 71 will simply slip during the remainder 'of the up stroke. On the next down stroke feedb'ar '29 will in the same manner automatically advance the cutter radially outwardly another increment. Because the tool holder trunnions 27 move vertically in their slotted bearings 27a the wedge bar 29 will have a fcer tain limited movement relative to holder 35 at the initial portion of both the down and up strokes. This allows a certain tool relief to assure that the tool does not rub on the workpiece on the return or up stroke. I Tests have shown that the cut taken by the machine is smoother and more accurate, and that the machine can take cuts twenty-five percent more rapidly than could machines which have no hydraulic cylinder connected directly to the tool bar holder as previously noted. The resistance of the work piece to the cut maintains the tool bar 28 against wedge 29a, however, initially the lower end'of tool bar 28 which is fixed in the pivotally or rockably supported tool bar holder 26 has a force of predetermined tension exerted upon it by roller 43 which tends to force it against tool bar 28 so that the tool always enters the work piece from above in proper position to take a cut of predetermined depth. The spring force exerted by roller 43 is applied intermediate the points of pivot at 27 and a. During the down stroke tool feed bar 29 is carried downwardly ,by its nut and screw connection with crosshead '18. Pinion 1 which is in mesh with pinion 50 simply slides downwardly on the splined shaft 52. l I

It is during the initial portion of each downstroke that the cutting tool is moved radially outwardly one incrementby pinion 51 revolving pinion 50 through an are which causes wedge bar holder 35 to move an increment axially downwardly on actuating screw 40. The

feed bar 29 which is prevented from rotating must move vertically on screw 46 relative to tool bar 28 when screw shaft 40 is revolved. The automatic feeding of the tool in the novel manner indicated which mechanism is also directly connected to the hydraulic cylinder and operated thereby permits an eflicient and more accurate control of the depth of cut.

The hydraulic component control system for the machine is depicted schematically in Figure 5, and includes the previously mentioned pump 12, cylinder 16, and various hydraulic components which are conventional and can be purchased on the market. The pump (12 supplies hydraulic fluid under pressure through a line 81 to a four way control valve 8-2 which has lines 83 and 84 connected to opposite ends of cylinder 16. The valve 82 also has a line 85 leading to the reservoir R. The valve 82 is remotely controlled by a solenoid operated rotary type pilot valve 86 through lines 87 and 88 leading to opposite ends of the four way valve in the usual manner. Line 89 vents the pilot valve 8'6 to the reservoir R. A pressure compensating flow control valve 90 is connected to line 83 leading to the upper end of cylinder 16 so that the speed of the stroke can be varied. This valve 99 controls the speed of the piston by bleeding off fluid to line 85 through line 91. To enhance the smoothness of operation on the cutting stroke a remotely controlled counter balance valve 92 is employed in the line 84 leading from the lower end of the cylinder 16. The valve 92 is pressure controlled by its connection to line .83 through line 93 and prevents any tendency to surging or uneven flow of fluid out of the lower end of the cylinder on the down stroke. Line 94 supplies rotary control valve 86 from pump line 81. The switch or actuating lever 95 on valve 86 is raised by dog 96 at the upper end of the upstroke of the piston to operate the rotary valve 86 in a manner to cause fluid to flow through line 88 to adjust four way valve 82 so that fluid flows through line 8'3 to the upper end of cylinder 16. In this position of adjustment four way valve 82 is permitting fluid to bleed from the lower end of the cylinder to the reservoir through lines 84 and 85.

When dog 97 depresses the lever 95 the rotary pilot valve causes fluid to flow through line 87 to reverse four way valve 82. Fluid then is supplied to the lower end of the cylinder through line 84 which drives the cylinder upwardly and fluid bleeds to reservoir R from the upper end of the cylinder through lines 83 and 85.

It is to be understood that the drawings and descrip' tive matter are in all cases to be interpreted as merely illustrative of the principles of the invention rather than; as limiting the same in any way since it is contemplated that various changes may be made in the various ele-' ments to achieve like results without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a key seating machine; a frame; means for supporting a generally tubular work piece on said frame; a tool bar including a cutter extending through said means and work piece; a hydraulic reciprocator; a crosshead connected to said reciprocator for movement in a direction generally axially parallel to said work piece; a tool bar holder for said tool bar connected to said crosshead whereby said'crosshead moves said cutter from one end of said workpiece to the other to cut a keyway therein, and returns said cutter; a feed bar extending through said work piece with the tool bar having a cam surface for moving said tool bar radially when the feed bar moves axially relative to the tool bar; a holder for said feed bar connected to said crosshead for movement therewith movable axially relative to said cross-- head for feeding said tool bar radially an increment: relative to the Work piece prior to each cutting stroke; and means responsive to movement of the crosshead 0n: the cutting stroke for moving said feed bar holder a predetermined distance relative to the crosshead with each stroke, said last means including a drive surface movable with the feed bar holder in its reciprocation with said crosshead and a drive part on said frame prevented from reciprocation with said crosshead.

2. In a key seating machine; a frame; tubular means for supporting a tubular work piece in upright position thereon; a tool post on said frame extending upwardly from said frame on one side of the work piece a considerable distance beyond the work piece; a feed bar extending up through said work piece bearing on said post; said bar having a vertically inclined wedge face thereon at its upper end; a tool for carrying a cutter and having a shoulder engaging said face at only one point extending up through said work piece; a hydraulic reciprocator; a crosshead carried by the reciprocator below the Work piece supporting means movable in a reciprocable path parallel to the axis of the work piece; a holder for the lower end of the tool bar; trunnion means on said holder pivotally supported by said crosshead and having a limited vertical movement relative thereto; a threaded shaft carried by said crosshead; a holder for the lower end of the feed bar receiving said shaft and forming a nut and screw connection therewith so as to be normally vertically movable with said shaft but actuatable vertically thereon; way means on said crosshead guiding said feed bar holder and preventing its rotation so that rotation of said shaft moves the feed bar holder axially thereon; a splined shaft carried by said frame; meshed gear means on said threaded shaft and splined shaft movable vertically with said crosshead; a rack carried by said crosshead; a'pinion on said frame actuated by said rack when the crosshead is reciprocated; and means operable during the initial portion of the down stroke of the crosshead tool bar and feed bar only for delivering the rotation of said pinion to said splined shaft to adjust said feed bar holder on said threaded shaft and move the feed bar relative to the crosshead and tool bar whereby the tool bar is pivoted and its upper end is fed an increment radially outwardly relative to the work piece.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 in which said latter means includes an actuator shaft for revolving said splined shaft; a friction clutch transmitting the travel of said pinion; link means transmitting the rotation of said clutch to the actuator shaft; means blocking the ,travel of the linkage after transmitting a portion of a revolution of said clutch thereto to cause said clutch to 7 simply slip during the remainder. of the cutting stroke ofrthev crosshead; and pawl means preventingetransmission of rotation of saidpinion in the opposite direction to. said actuatorfshaftso. that said clutch simply. slips during. the return strokeof. the crosshead.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 in which said actuator shafthas means ysettable toistops it after a pre determined revolution thereof.

5. In a key seating machine; a frame; meanstfor supporting a generally tubular workpiece on said frame; a tool bar including a cutter extending through said workpiece; a fluid pres'suredreciprocator; a crosshead connected to said reciprocator for movement in a direc tion' generally axially parallel to said workpiece; holder means for said tool bar on saidcro'sshead whereby said crossheadimo'ves said cutter: from one end of said workpiece, to the other to. cut a keyway therein; a feed bar disposedcontiguously with the tool bar having a surface for moving saidtool bar radially when the feed. bar moves relative to the toolbar; holder means for said feed bar connectedito said vcrossheadifor movement therewith movable axially relative to said crosshead for feeding said tool-bar radially an increment relative to the workpiece prior to each cutting stroke; and means responsive to movement of the crosshead on the cutting stroke for moving said feed bar holder means a predetermined distance relative to the crosshead with each stroke, said last means including a drive surface movable with the feed bar holder in its reciprocation with said crosshead and a drive part on said frame prevented from reciprocation with saidcrosshead.

6. In a key seating machine; a frame; means for supporting a generally tubular workpiece on said frame; a generally reciprocable toolbar including a cutter extending into said workpiece for movement in an endwise direction therein; fluid pressure, actuating means; vertically disposed guidelsurfaces n aid rame; rq shead means connected to said actuating meansmovable on said guides. in; a direction, generally axially parallel to said, work supporting, means, and workpiece; said topl bar beingtmountedgon said crosshead meansandtbeing re ciprocablertherewithto move said toolbar andcutter generally, axially, relative to said;workpiece to cut a keylway; therein; afeed bar extending into said workpiece, for moving said tool barradially outwardly responsive to relative verticalmovement of said tool bar and feed bar; means supporting, said feed bar by said crossheagl means forrcciprocation with said crosshead means mov able relative to saidtcrossheadmcans and tool bar to move said feed bar relativeto the tool bar an increment with each stroke of the crosshead means; movement transmission vmeans.connecting with said last ,means and crossheadmeans operable during ,only a portion of) the stroke of the crossheadzmeans foryautomatically moving said last means andieed bar relativerto the tool bar an increment witheach stroke of the crosshcadmeans; and means incorporatedwith said motion transmission means disabling said motion transmission means during the lattersportion of.the stroke of the crosshead means References Cit ed in thefile of this patent UNITED-STATES PATENTS 38894 6 Benson Sept. 4, 1838 589,011 Merrill Aug. 31, 1897 1,025,152 Mitts May 7, 1912 1,915,506 Winston June 27, 1 933 2,085,061 Morton June 15, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS 690,781 Great Britain Apr. 29, 1933 

